Big Ten reiterates that it isn’t looking to expand

The Big Ten just put out a release saying that it isn’t actively looking to expand but it continues to monitor the landscape.

So make of that what you will. Anyway, the release.

BIG TEN STATEMENT ON EXPANSION

Park Ridge, Ill. – The Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors (COP/C) met recently to discuss reform issues and expansion. The following statement is issued by the Big Ten office on behalf of the COP/C.

In response to a number of recent media inquiries received by several Big Ten Presidents and Chancellors regarding the likelihood of further expansion by the Big Ten, the COP/C would like to reiterate that it will not be actively engaged in conference expansion at this time, or at any time in the foreseeable future, barring a significant shift in the current intercollegiate athletic landscape.

The COP/C is aware that speculation about the possibility of expansion by the Big Ten Conference continues despite a statement from COP/C Chair and Indiana University President Michael McRobbie on December 5, 2010, indicating that the COP/C believed the expansion process had reached its natural conclusion, that it was pleased with the addition of Nebraska, and that it looked forward to working with its new colleagues in the years ahead.

The conference has spent the past 14 months actively engaged in incorporating Nebraska, academically and athletically, into the fabric of the conference. “We’re about as comfortable as we can be with where we are,” said Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany. “We’ve said that we will continue to monitor the landscape, but we have closed down active expansion and have no plans to seek new members.”

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4 comments

Why do big and rich organizations, people, governments, etc. think that it is good to lie to the public? Of course they are plotting expansion, but the time and opportunity is not ripe right now! If Texas A&M goes to the SEC tomorrow, and FSU goes to the SEC the following day, then in a week or two the Big 10 will have two universities lined up to invite in. If they are not studying the expansion options every day, then they are stupid. They are liars, but not idiots. Has there been a Presidential Candidate in the last decade who did not say in the 12 months before announcing his/her run: “I have no plans…”? They lied. The did have plans, but they were not prepared to make those plans public yet, because they wanted the option of adopting those plans to future events. So why not just say this?

Because people have grown up being told that, unregulated and left to their own devices, big and rich organizations, people, governments, etc., will do what is best for everyone. Now we are living with the results.

Somewhat like BeatPurdue when it comes to expansion I believe the B10 prefers to counter punch from a predetermined plan and goal. When another conference starts making for more elbow room the B10 will do in kind within 96 hours. I wonder if Vegas has a line on that?

Not that I really care in the long run about our “name” but we should expand enough so that the Big Ten covers TEN different states…then our conference name will make sense again, lol.

In all reality, I’m pretty comfortable with having an even number of teams again. Nebraska is a solid addition, most notably for football. I hope things stay put for quite some time. I’d like to be able to just settle in and enjoy the sports, not the politics and behind-the-scenes stuff.